HUNGARY-L Archives

From:
Subject: Re: [HUNGARY-L] How To Do Research?
Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2002 07:47:38 EDT

In a message dated 9/30/2002 6:14:49 PM US Eastern Standard Time,
writes:

<< how do I go about taking the next step in researching further? . . . my
ancestors are from Marokret, Hungary . . . . What kind of information is
available to me and what's the best way to research it further? >>
>>>. .. . According to his daughter's Ellis Island record she was born and
last resided in Markovoi, Yugoslavia>>>>
>>>>Today it is located in Slovenia and called Markovci.>>>>

Hi Brian

You ask some questions which have very long, and complex answers -- not
easily or briefly described in an email. There are many resources available
to you to learn how to go about researching family history -- library books,
bookstore books, and hundreds of web sites designed to help people understand
how to do research.

For internet resources, use any 'search engine' (google.com is good) and
search using terms like "beginner genealogy" - "genealogy how-to" or similar.
Then start accessing the sites and see what you'll learn. Use the many
genealogy services on the internet -- ALL of which have sections on guidance
of how to research - ancestry.com, genealogy.com, rootsweb.com, or --
a great one
http://www.cyndislist.com. -- and go to listings for 'Slovenia', and 'how to'
and 'beginner genealogy'
-- and the LDS resource site -- www.familysearch.org.

Most people also need to learn about using local Family History Libraries (of
the LDS church) and HOW TO effectively use the Family History Library
catalogue (of the 2 million roles of microfilm/books at Salt Lake city).
Explanations can be found at their web site.

If you do a 'place search' (everything in genealogy depends on the LOCATION
that the record was generated), use the current name in Slovenia first as
this is the most likely way any microfilms will be catalogued, but don't
overlook searches under past location names as well. The type of records you
use will change as you go further back -- for example, VAS COUNTY in Hungary
may be included in the 1828 land census, and you get these microfilms by
using the FHL catalogue "place search" as Hungary-Census-1828- Vas County.
Parish/church records on the other hand may be listed under the current
Slovenian name, or held in a regional archive in Slovenia. There may be an
applicable Slovenian census -- you just have to research the history, learn
what others have used, and how to access what you need for your particular
circumstances.

(or, if you're already familiar with above type stuff)
Next you'll need to get specific for Hungary and Slovenia. Once again, use
the search engine ("Slovenia genealogy") and you'll access many many sites
that explain where records are, what alternate village names are, what
happened to records when your village of interest became Yugoslavia. It it
necessary to learn the history of the area as well, so finding some history
sites via a search engine is also worthwhile. Your specific research needs
may require you to write to an Archive in Slovenia, or microfilms of the
church records might be available thru LDS, or that village may have been
filial to another village church (and microfilms are available).

Some people use online phonebooks to locate people today with their surname
-- and then write to them seeking family connections.(there is an online
version for Slovenia) Sometimes local village history books, or name/family
books have been written. One never knows what specific stuff there may be
for a particular location. Histories can often be found by using (again) an
internet search engine under the "location" name, ie. Markovci -- as well as
it's other former names.

The kinds of information available to you depend solely on what timeframes
you're researching, and where you are researching, and what records survive,
etc. and there is no 'universal' answer to your question. One has to research
their particular location and determine such things. If it were me, I'd
start with seeing if there are any microfilms of parish records for Markovci,
Slovenia available through the Family History Library. You can do this by
visiting your local family history library (locations can be found online at
LDS site given above) and having a volunteer instruct you, or by accessing
the catalogue online at

http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp

If not, then read any research guidance you can find online about HOW TO DO
research in Slovenia -- and from there you'll have to proceed depending on
what you find out. You may find that although your ancestor was living at
this place, that they (and parents, gparents etc,) were born in another
village -- so understanding HOW to go about finding and locating records,
regardless of what the town, county, or country was, is a necessary skill in
family history.

Much luck and success - it is usually an exciting and rewarding quest.

Linda

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